The Orchid Lounge
by fairydustx
Summary: What happens when Rachel Berry goes to see Santana Lopez perform at burlesque club 'The Orchid Lounge' in New York? Rated M for smut
1. The Orchid Lounge

**Authors Note:**

**Song sung by Santana is Nina Simone's "Feeling Good"- watch?v=OfJRX-8SXOs**

**I've based her whole routine around that one song so it would be better if you listen to it, however it's not necessary. This is actually my first time writing from Rachel's P.O.V. so I apologize if she's not as in character as I'd like. Also, I am not decided on whether this should just be a oneshot or I should create a relationship between Santana and Rachel. If you have an opinion on the subject, it would mean the world to me if you could leave me a review.**

* * *

The Orchid Lounge

Ever since you first moved to New York with Kurt, he'd been begging you to go to a burlesque club with him. Personally, you didn't really see what all the fuss was about. It all seemed too unsanitary and the whole idea was utterly degrading towards the remainder of the female population who decided to keep their clothes on. You are a strong believer in women's rights, and the idea of paying money to see a woman, like yourself, taking her clothes off in a grotty bar didn't support these beliefs.

However, a few months into your first semester at NYADA, you receive an invitation to the "freshman initiation night out". The process involves older students choosing a select few freshmen whom they personally believe hold the potential to become the next big stars. And when an invitation is delivered to you, you simply do not turn it down.

And that is why, on the evening of 5th of December, you could be found standing outside the glowing lights of The Orchid Lounge, shivering in a dark blue satin dress, uncomfortably high shoes and a red fur shawl alongside some peers.

Despite your initial doubt, you find yourself to be suitably impressed. The crowd that queues outside wait patiently for entrance into the infamous burlesque club. They are well dressed, well mannered, and not at all what you'd expected.

And that is why, two hours later, you could be found seated around a beautifully elegant glass table with the other NYADA students, sipping on your sixth cocktail and cheering as a curvaceous red headed woman slowly eases off a sequined corset.

The space is lit in a way that it seemed the very air was glowing gently. Soft jazz music filters through the cheers and clapping from the audience as the woman finishes her act.

And then the next and final act is announced, the so-called 'star of the show'; _"Please welcome... Santana Lopez!"_ Despite your former rigid beliefs, even you have heard of Santana. She's a renowned burlesque dancer, famous for her incredible beauty and platinum voice.

And that is why you find yourself sitting upright in your seat, the room spinning around you as you focus your attention on the stage. You hear her before you see her. The lights dim and the crowd hush as her voice fills the space, whispery at first. You feel the tiny hairs on the back of your neck standing on ends as the sound builds and expands. She has incredible control over her voice, allowing it to grow amazingly powerful with one note, and then shrink back to a murmur with the next.

A single spotlight suddenly shines down on her. She is alone, seated in a chair right in the center of the stage. All eyes are on her and she stares confidently back, fingers running through her glossy 40's style hair. As she sings, she slowly stands and walks purposefully around the chair, fingers trailing all over it. Her wide eyes never once leave the audience as she does so, and the spotlight follows her every move.

With a powerful _"…And I'm feeling good!"_ the stage is flooded with red light and she smiles. She strides up and down the space, fingers running up her sides, a smirk upon her face as the instruments begin to play. The Latina is wearing a floor-length, tightly fitted black dress. A slit runs up one side so that one long tanned leg is visible to her audience. Her lips are painted deep red and she flutters her eyelashes innocently as the music plays.

It seemed then that her eyes find yours. A gasp escapes your lips as a flirty smile dances across her face and she throws her arms into the air; _"fish in the sea, you know how I feel, river running free you know how I feel, blossom on the tree, you know how I feel…"_ As she sings, she slowly inches off her pair of long, silky gloves. The crowd cheers as she carelessly throws them over her head, and moves back to the chair.

Santana turns the chair around to face her, and leans forward, staring at her audience.

_"…It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me..."_

It was probably due to the effects of alcohol, but when she reaches behind her neck to undo the strap that keeps her dress on, your throat is suddenly dry.

_"...And I'm feeling good…"_

Suddenly her dress is on the floor and she is stood, grinning, in a tight lace-up corset. Your heart hammers ferociously in your chest and you swallow as your vision is filled with images of bronzed long legs, smoothly rounded cleavage and that wicked smirk. The room is filled with cheers and clapping as she sits sensuously in her backwards-facing chair. Her legs are spread out impossibly far and she flicks her hair over her shoulder as the song continues.

_"Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know…"_

She runs a hand delicately up one leg, long fingers teasingly trailing up her tanned skin.

_"Butterflies all having fun you know what I mean…"_ She stares directly at you with an expression that says she knows exactly the effect she holds on you. Your cheeks colour and you cough.

_"…Sleep in peace when day is done. That's what I mean!"_ Her hands move behind her back and she begins to undo the ribbon that keeps her corset on.

As she sings the next few lines, you swear her eyes still linger on you. You down your current drink and stare back, unable to break the eye contact as she continues to undo her corset with such an ease that said she's done it a million times before. Your heart's beating so fast and you don't know what's going on because she's a _girl_ and you're suddenly so hot and part of you just wants to run out of the room. But you stay.

The very blood that runs through your veins seems to respond to this woman. The room is spinning. Your heart is racing. Even your palms are sweating in anticipation for her. The pounding in your chest moves south and throbs at it's strongest between your legs as she teasingly drops the corset to the ground. Before you catch a glimpse of her body however, she bends down and retrieves two red fans, using them strategically to cover the places that every inch of you so wants to see. Your head is telling you it's just the alcohol. You love Finn. Finn loves you. But some part of you knows that Finn has never made you feel like this, not even on those occasionswhen you made love.

Santana stands up and purposefully knocked the chair to the ground. All thoughts of Finn are gone from your mind. Her voice is filled with a new passion as she sings the last few lines of the song; _"…Stars when you shine you know how I feel! Scent of the pine you know how I feel…" _

She moves one fan a little downwards so you can just make out the top of one dark red nipple. A waiter offers you a drink and you accept, but you're shaking so much that the liquid almost sloshes over the side and the ice cubes are rattling. You quickly down it and place it down onto the table.

_"…Oh freedom is mine!"_

Heat pools in between your legs and you find yourself shifting your position so that the chair presses right against your core.

_ "And I know how I feel…"_

Her second fan brushes the top of her thighs and she flutters her eyelashes closed.

_ "It's a new dawn, it's a new day…"_

You rock backwards and forwards in your seat, trying to be as discreet as possible as a low wine escapes from the back of your throat.

_"It's a new life for me…"_

Santana holds the whole place under a spell as she brings the fans into the middle of her body and smiles. She knows how much the audience want to see her.

And then, unbearably slowly, inch by inch, she moves the fans away, revealing pert breasts, dark red stiffened nipples, a sequined covered core, long tanned legs. Pleasure pools in your lower stomach and then in between your legs. Your underwear is soaked and your pulse is racing widely.

_"And I'm feeling good!"_

She hits her final notes perfectly, and your whole body seems to shudder and then stiffen as she licks her lips and grins.


	2. I Kissed A Girl

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for the response to my story. I have decided to continue with it, and I have a plan regarding where the storyline will go. Warning: Finn bashing ahead. As for Santana's song, imagine something like this: watch?v=JQU-nS5kP08**

* * *

I Kissed A Girl  


A fellow NYADA student, _the_ Brody Weston to be precise, escorted you back to your apartment after the show was over. He did everything right - complimented you on your voice, told you that you looked beautiful, gave you his jacket when he realized you were shivering. And that was probably why you found yourself standing on your doorstep at three in the morning, arms wrapped around his neck, lips pressed against his. Just to clarify, Brody Weston kissed you. Not the other way around. You just didn't stop him.

You're not sure _why_ you decide to cheat on your loyal, protective, kind boyfriend. Finn is everything you need. Or so you tell yourself. One thing you do know is that your thoughts are still plagued by Santana Lopez. Just for a moment, maybe even less, you allow yourself to imagine that you are kissing her instead.

Suddenly it is over, and you stumble backwards. Brody is there, smiling down at you and probably wondering whether or not you will invite him in. You look up at him, the street around you still spinning a little. Suddenly you don't feel in the mood. "Good bye." You whisper, and unlock the door, closing it quickly behind you before he has the chance to follow you inside. You decide to write it off as an alcohol induced mistake.

The next thing you know, you're waking up in your bedroom. Blinding light is streaming in through the window. Your head is pounding and the room spins when you sit up. You squint and reach for the glass of water by your bed in an attempt to rid yourself of the dehydration brought on by one too many cocktails the night before. You stumble out of bed and into the kitchen, in search of some kind of painkiller.

You rub your eyes and yawn, opening the top drawer where Kurt keeps medication. "Rough night?" Someone asks and you spin around and Finn is stood in your kitchen and you really don't need this right now.

"Oh god... Finn what are you doing here?" You mumble, finding the correct pill and swallowing it with a glass of filtered water.

Finn moves closer to you and wraps an arm around your waist. "I came to surprise my girl!" He replies, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

You try not to squirm in his arms and when he finally lets you go you grip onto the kitchen counter tightly to steel yourself. "How long have you been here?" You ask him.

"Blaine and I arrived last night, around midnight?" He beams down at you. "Kurt let us in. He said you'd be back late, and not to wait up, so I slept in your bed and I guess you didn't notice me when you came in, you just passed out on the bed. I've never known you to let yourself get so drunk, Rach!" He looks stern. "Remember what I warned you back in McKinley about alcohol, Rachel?" He sighed, "You need a man here, to look after you. We can't have these things happening again."

You feel anger build inside of you. "Finn, I can take care of myself!"

He looks offended, "So I'm not allowed to care for you anymore?"

"That's not what I meant." You reply. The pounding in your head eases slightly. "Oh god... What time is it?" You ask, suddenly panicked.

Finn looks down at you. "Eleven..." He replies.

"_Eleven_! Why didn't you wake me up, Finn?" You demand, "You know that I have a meticulous cleaning schedule that requires I wake up at 6am sharp!" You're suddenly furious, and you knew Finn can sense it by the way he edges away from you, face crumpled, like a wounded animal. "You looked so cute sleeping..." He replies, his bottom lip sticking out. "Aren't you pleased to see me?" He asks, staring at the floor.

"Of course." You reply, counting to ten before making your way to the bathroom. All you can think is that maybe you should have invited Brody Weston inside last night.

* * *

You really don't know whose awful idea this was. You're stood outside The Orchid Lounge wearing an expensive pale blue dress alongside Finn, Kurt and Blaine, shivering in the cold. Déjà vu doesn't even begin to explain it. Apparently Finn and Blaine caught a plane to New York together, as some kind of attempt at a romantic gesture to surprise you and Kurt. You try to be grateful. You really do. But when you're about to watch the girl responsible for you having to throw out your favourite underwear take off her clothes, whilst sitting next to your boyfriend and acting like a couple, you can't help but to feel a little nauseated.

Finn has never even come close to inspiring such feelings within you as this girl managed without even touching you.

This time, you're seated right at the front of the room, around a meter from the stage. Your heart is pounding as you imagine the view you'll have of Santana Lopez from here. The same soft jazz music plays before the show starts, and the air is filled with light conversation. You discuss the movie edition of Rocky Horror with Kurt and Blaine. Finn sits in silence, occasionally dropping comments that don't make sense.

It isn't long before the show starts. Despite your relationship problems, you find yourself enjoying it just as much as last time. The show is everything Kurt imagined and more; glamorous and glittering. Blaine is happy to see his boyfriend having such a good time. Finn is enjoying the semi-naked women. And despite yourself, you are looking forward to seeing Santana Lopez perform again.

And then her name is announced and just _that_ is enough to get your heart pounding. She walks onto the stage in a tight red dress that shows off her curves perfectly. Her hair is pinned up onto her head with a glittery heart shaped pin, and her lips are her signature red. The room is silent. "Hello." She flutters her long thick eyelashes and looks out at her audience. Her voice is low and sultry. "Tonight I'm doing my act a little differently." She informs everyone. The crowd hold onto her every word. "I'm going to need someone from the audience." Santana smirks and flicks her hair behind her shoulder as the crowd suddenly go crazy. They all want to be the chosen one. She scans the audience for a volunteer, and then her eyes settle on you and she grins. "You..." She hums, pointing directly at you. She beckons you with one long finger and you just sit there, gaping up at her like an idiot. Your heart is pounding and your palms are sweating and your body is shaking. It's not that you're scared of the stage, _oh no_. You've been performing to audiences since you were three months old. It's _her_ you're scared of.

With a push from Kurt you're stumbling out of your seat and moving over to the steps on the side of the stage. You know all eyes in the room are focused on you so you take a few deep breaths and steady yourself before climbing them. She's watching you from the stage, looking extremely pleased with herself.

You walk over to her and she smiles innocently. If you thought the view from the table was good, it is a hundred times better up here. Her wide brown eyes are lined with tiny silver jewels. Her cheeks are flushed a deep red. Her red lips are curled into an inviting smile. She's staring straight at you. "Someone get this lady a seat." She stays over her shoulder and soon enough, a woman is walking onto the stage carrying the same wooden chair that Santana had used in her last routine.

You swallow and sit down on the chair, facing the audience. The lights dim and a familiar beat starts to play. You recognise it as a low-key jazz version of Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl." As the instruments play, she circles you, eyes never once leaving your face.

And then she stops moving and rests one hand onto your chair. "_This was never the way I planned... Not my intention..."_ She addresses the audience, hips swaying to the beat,_ "I got so brave, drink in hand, lost my discretion..."_

Santana moves behind you, and her hands begin to trail over your bare arms. You actually shudder, eyes closed, and lean into her touch._ "It's not what I'm used to, just wanna try you on..._" She sings. You can hear a smile in her voice; it's almost like she knows how she makes you feel. Her touch leaves a trail of fiery heat on your skin. You swallow nervously, playing with the hem of your dress. Suddenly her grip on you tightens,_ "I'm curious for you, caught my attention!"_

And then she lets go and you relax slightly. She walks to the front of the stage, and you can't take your eyes off of the soft curve of her backside as she sings _"I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chapstick..."_ And then she turns around to face you and your heart is thundering at a thousand miles an hour. Santana crouches beside your chair, her gloved fingers gently caressing your face. _"I kissed a girl just to try it..." _You nestle into her hand, forgetting everything else in the world. Forgetting that you're _straight_ and that Finn is watching this happen._ "...hope my boyfriend don't mind it"_ she whispers into your ear, and you can feel her breath on your skin and she has your head spinning and your pulse racing.

And then she picks up your hand in hers and guides it to the zipper on the side of her dress. You feel a throbbing between your legs as you realise what she wants you to do, and shift in your seat, hoping to get rid of it. _"It felt so wrong, it felt so right..."_ Santana murmurs as you obediently pull on her zip, revealing a glittering heart-shaped corset. You gape at her tanned breasts; they actually _strain_ against the restricting material. She winks at you and stands up, and you lose your train of thought when her dress falls to the ground. She's left in the red corset and stockings and the audience are going crazy, loving every second of this torture._ "...Don't mean I'm in love tonight!"_ She sings, pulling off her gloves and dropping them onto your lap._ "I kissed, I kissed, I kissed a girl and I liked it!" _Your heart feels like it's about to jump out of your chest because her hands are all over you again, running through your hair and over your arms and then down to your legs, and when you try to shift in your seat you realise that your underwear is soaked. Your cheeks flush red as you realize that she can probably feel how wet you are. Hell, she can probably _smell_ how wet you are.

Her lips are so close to yours and then she pulls away slightly to tuck your hair behind your ear. She leans in close and whispers the next words; "_No, I don't even know your name, it doesn't matter. You're my experimental game, just human nature_..." A low moan falls from your lips before you can swallow it away because she obviously means every word. You know that she hears it because she giggles before standing up straight. You keep your eyes staring forward because if you turn to look at her you'll explode. But then she's back at the front of the stage and her hands are running all over herself and it's the most erotic thing you've seen in your life. "_It's not what good girls do, not how they should behave. My head gets so confused, hard to obey!_" She throws her head back and you can tell from behind that her corset is slipping down her body.

She turns back around and walks over to you, pert breasts exposed. This time, however, two heart-shaped nipple tassels are covering her nipples and it takes all of the strength you have not to lean forward and rip them off. You can't breath because she's suddenly leaning over your body and her long hair tickles your skin. The crowd are whistling and clapping along to the chorus and you know she is loving every second of this.

The music shrinks back and her voice fills the room, "_Us girls we are so magical, soft skin, red lips, so kissable. Hard to resist, so touchable. Too good to deny it._" You realise that she is swiftly untying her corset while she sings, and you have to force yourself to not to reach out and help her. Your underwear is sticking uncomfortably to your core and the pounding sensation has become too much for you to ignore. You rock a little in your chair, but it does little to sooth your itch.

"_Ain't no big deal, it's innocent_..." She smirks, before letting go of the corset. It falls to her feet. This audience are just as responsive as the last, to say the least. She belts out the last few lines of the song, and you can't stop staring at the little red bows at the top of her stockings,_ "I kissed a girl and I liked it. I liked it_!" The song ends and the room is plunged into darkness.

When the lights turn back on, you're alone on the stage. You shakily stand up and walk back down the steps to meet your friends, stuffing Santana's red gloves into your shoulder bag.

The crowd claps as you walk back to your table and you smile, dipping your head. Finn looks at you with a strange expression. He doesn't say anything, but wraps his arm around your shoulder tightly. "This was a bad idea..." He mumbles, ushering you out of the building and into the cold night.

"We can't leave Kurt and Blaine!" You frown, looking up at him. He ignores you and continues to walk. His grip around you tightens. "Finn?"

"You were so different up there." He murmurs. "I mean it. You were like..._really_ into it." He justifies, his forehead knitted into a frown.

You roll your eyes. You want to go back inside and drink with Kurt and Blaine. "Look, Finn. It didn't mean anything. Let me go."

He ignores you and carries on walking, his arm locked around your waist. "The way you looked at her..." He mused, "Why don't you look at me like that?"

"_Finn_!" You snap, pulling away from him. "I want to go and drink with my friends."

He suddenly loosens his grip and his face crumples. You sigh and make your way back in the direction you came. "Rachel, wait!" He calls after you. You walk faster. It isn't long before you're standing back outside the glowing lights of The Orchid Lounge.

You decide make your way back to the table, but stop in your tracks. Kurt and Blaine are holding hands, deep in conversation. You notice the way Kurt's foot trails up Blaine's legs. There's no way you can disturb them. Instead you turn back around and leave the room, deciding to go exploring. You need to clear your head.

You stride down a corridor decorated in fairy lights, and push on a door labelled 'Staff Only'. You find yourself in another corridor, the walls lined with more doors. As you walk, you realise that each door has the name of a performer on it. When you reach 'Santana Lopez', you pause, heart thudding, and stare at the sign, wondering what lies on the other side.

Curiosity defeats fear, and you push. The door swings open.

You take a step into the room, and while you are alone, you feel Santana's presence everywhere. Vintage photographs and sketches of burlesque performers cover the walls. Her dressing table is littered with make up, stick on jewels and hair accessories. A red velvet chaise lounge is against one wall, and rails of clothes are against the others. You take a step closer to one of said rails and gently finger a deep green corset.

You hear the door open and close behind you and drop the corset, turning around. Santana is stood in her doorway, staring at you. You are about to make some kind of excuse but you're too distracted. She hasn't put clothes on yet. You gulp, eyes trailing down her figure. You take in the curve of her breasts under those heart-shaped nipple tassels, the cluster of red jewels covering her sex, the black stockings stretched over her long legs. "May I help you?" She asks, hand on hip. Your eyes snap back to her face. She looks annoyed.

"Uhh..." You swallow, "I w-was just returning these." You clumsily search through your bag and pull out her red gloves.

Her face softens a little. "Keep them. They were for you - a souvenir of sorts." Santana explains, her eyes never once leaving your face. You nod and put them back into your bag, moving towards the door. "I didn't say you could leave." She purrs, grinning.


	3. How To Forget Pain

How To Forget Pain

Santana stares at you for a moment, and you would do anything to know what she is thinking.

She turns around and moves across the room, hips swaying. She rifles through one of her clothing rails, and pulls a silky Japanese style dressing gown off of one of the hangers. You stand by the door, eyes never once leaving the curve of her back. The Latina pulls the kimono over her body and sits down next to her dressing table, catching your eye in the mirror. "Well, don't just stand there!" She giggles. You move across the room and sit gingerly on her velvety chaise lounge, watching as she pulls her hair loose. It falls like a dark curtain around her. She places the heart-shaped clip down in front of her, and sighs, closing her eyes and leaning backwards in her chair.

And then she's sitting up again, and opening and closing drawers as if searching for something. You think she finds what she's looking for because she emits this tiny excited sound. It's probably the cutest thing you've ever heard and you really don't know how it's possible someone so sexually appealing can be _cute_.

Santana pulls out a bottle of vodka and two shot glasses. You swallow nervously. "So, what did you think of my show?" She asks, unscrewing the bottle.

Your throat goes dry as you try to think of a response that doesn't contain the sexual expletives currently running through your mind. You open your mouth to say something but no sounds comes out.

Santana giggles. "Speechless, huh?" She pours the clear liquid into both glasses. "You know, I saw you in my audience a few nights ago. I hoped you'd come back. And you did." She turns around to look at you. "You look like you need a pick-me-up." She passes you one of the shot glasses and then lifts the other to her lips. "This is how to forget pain." She tells you, tipping her head back and downing her drink in one swallow. You wonder how someone so other-worldly can experience pain like everyone else.

You try to copy her - tipping your head back and swallowing the liquid. But it burns the back of your throat and you start to cough, cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. She doesn't even turn her head, already filling up her second glass. "I have to admit, my routine tonight was a last minute decision." She confesses.

Maybe it's the liquid courage, but suddenly you find your voice. "And a little unprofessional, don't you think?" You ask, handing her back your empty glass. "If I wanted a lap dance I would have gone to Spearmint Rhino."

Santana roars with laughter, and hands you back your drink, filled to the brim. "Without me there would be no audience. They let me do whatever I want." She pours herself another drink. "I was watching you during my last show. I knew you'd return." She explains. You're blushing furiously as you down your next shot. This one is a little easier to swallow. Her eyes noticeably linger between your legs and she grins. "I didn't know that my little experiment would have that much of an effect on you though... Looks like I'll have to buy a new chair. You wrecked the one you were sat in." She winks and you splutter on your drink.

Half an hour later and Santana's laying on the chaise lounge with you. Her head rests on your lap and her legs are stretched out. You've given up on the shot glasses, and are taking it in turns to drink straight from the bottle. She's cradling it in her arms and giggling. You notice that her dressing gown is starting to slip a little, and can just make out the gentle curve of one breast. She suddenly stops giggling and stares straight up at you. "Who are you?" She asks.

You run your fingers through her thick hair and smile. "Rachel." You pull the drink from her grasp.

"Rachel..." She repeats, tasting the word on her tongue. "Rachel what?"

"Rachel Berry."

"Rachel and Santana... Santana and Rachel..." She murmurs.

Your hearts racing because your names sound so perfect together when she says them like that.

Santana stands up and repositions herself so that she's straddling your lap. Her dressing gown has fallen completely open and your dress has ridden up so her sex is pressed against your thigh. Her fingers stroke your cheek. A familiar dull throbbing begins in between your thighs. The room is spinning and nothing exists outside of this moment. "Do you like me, Rachel?" She whispers.

You nod your head, scared to speak. She smiles and leans even closer, her hair forming a dark curtain that separates you both from everything else. All that exists to you is huge dark eyes, flushed cheeks, red parted lips. Energy pulses in the air between you. Her hand on your face is electric. You can sense that she is about to close the gap between you.

But then your phone rings and you're both pulled back into reality. You think that Santana loses her nerve because she moves away and sits back beside you, wrapping her dressing gown tightly around her body and snatching the vodka from your grip. "You should get that." She tells you, taking a long drink.

You do what she says and pick up your bag from the floor, rummaging through it and pulling out your cursed mobile. You accept the call and lift the phone to your ear. "Mhmm?"

"Rach?" It's Finn.

"Finn?" You snap, annoyed at him for ruining your moment.

"Look, I've been thinking, and I was really out of line. Let me make it up to you. Come back to the apartment. Kurt and Blaine arrived a while ago and they don't know where you are."

You sigh. "Okay."

"Great, want me to pick you up? I don't want you out in the cold by yourself and-"

"I'll walk." You hang up and put your phone back in its bag, looking at Santana.

"Who was that?" She asks, handing you the bottle.

You take it gratefully and drink a mouthful before handing it back to her. "My...boyfriend."

"Oh" is her reply. You hope you're not imagining the disappointed tone to her voice.

"I have to go." You stand up, swinging your bag over your shoulder and looking down at her.

She smiles weakly, "See you around."

You nod and walk to the door, pausing before you open it. "Thank you, Santana."

She smiles and takes another gulp. "You're welcome."

Soon enough you're back outside in the cold. It's raining heavily, and the moon is hidden behind a haze of cloud. The cold rain helps you to clear your head.

You try to come to terms with what just happened. You nearly kissed a girl. _A girl_. A girl who turns you on more than you previously thought possible. Your head is clouded by the alcohol and you find it difficult to comprehend any of this. So you just walk. You walk back to your apartment, back to your boyfriend, back to what you know.


	4. Trouble in Paradise

**Authors Note: I apologize in advance for all of the Finchel in this chapter, but I need to make it obvious that they are a couple and not just two people who fight all the time. Just remember - there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And that light is also known as Pezberry! -Grin-  
**

* * *

Trouble in Paradise

You're laying on Santana's chaise lounge, dress pulled up around your waist. Santana is hovering over you, dressed only in black lace underwear. Your eyes linger on each other for a moment. Then she grins and dives down, peppering your stomach with hundreds of tiny kisses. Her lips tickle your skin and you squeal, giggling breathlessly.

"S-Santana! Stop!" You shriek, wriggling under her. Your attempts to break free fail - she has you pinned you down with one arm, and she's_ strong_. You can't escape.

Her kisses gradually slow, and soon she is suckling and biting on your skin, taking her time to torture you. Slowly but surely, her mouth moves southwards. Her fingers delicately caress you over your cotton underwear while she flicks her tongue over your hip bone. Your heart beat is erratic. And then she yanks your underwear over your thighs and her mouth moves down and-

_"Rach?"_ Finn is shaking you. "Rach! Are you okay? You were groaning in your sleep. Did you have a nightmare?"

You groggily open your eyes. Your skin is covered in a sheen of sweat and your heart is pounding. You look up at Finn. He looks genuinely upset at the prospect of you having a bad dream. "Yeah..." You mumble sleepily.

Finn sighs and plants a kiss on your forehead, his stubble grazing your chin. He pulls you tight into his embrace. "It's okay. I'm right here."

Over the last two months, you've found your life settling back into its regular self. Things at NYADA are going well, and your future on the stage is no longer a distant dream, but a very real possibility. While Blaine had to fly home a month ago to complete his semester at McKinley, Finn has decided to stay for a while. The pair of you haven gotten over your 'bumpy patch', and settled your differences. That being said, you haven't been able to tell him about Brody yet.

Finn now wakes you up at precisely 6 AM every morning, enabling you to start every day with your scrupulous washing routine without unnecessary delay. He has found himself a part time job at a sandwich shop. He showers you with compliments and buys you gifts.

You know he's really trying. And you're grateful for that.

You tell yourself over and over again that you finally have all you've ever wanted in life; you're living in New York, fulfilling your dream, you're surrounded by culture and art constantly and _you're dating the guy of your dreams._

You've been lusting after Finn for years. When you were in high school, you idolized the poor boy. He was popular, attractive, the quarterback of the football team and a talented musician.

But after two nights spent at The Orchid Lounge, all of that has changed.

Something just seems to be missing. Two months have passed, and you haven't heard anything of Santana. While you refuse to go back to her burlesque club, you still find your heart skipping a beat every time you spot a Latino woman on the subway or in the city, and for a moment you allow yourself to hope. But it's never her.

You repeatedly tell yourself to stop being ridiculous. You barely even know the girl. So, she got you all hot and bothered with her little strip tease? Well news flash, Rachel. That's her job. She's good at it. Get over it.

Ask any of your friends for their definition of soulmates and they'll say "Finchel".

So you adopt a new mantra:_ He is my soulmate._

* * *

You push open the doors to Ms. July's dance studio. You're twenty minutes late for dance rehearsal. The rest of your class are running through the routine at the far side of the room, and you drop your bags by the door before running over to join them. Cassandra is watching you from the far corner of the studio, leaning against the piano. "Glad you could make it, Nose."

A giggle ripples amongst your peers. "I got stuck in traffic." You mutter, beginning to stretch your aching limbs.

She observes you. "This is _NYADA_, not community college. It will not happen again."

"Yes Ms. July." You reply. You know she'll somehow make you pay for being late.

"Okay class, this afternoon we are running through the routine again and again until every single one of you is dancing circles around Anna Pavlova." She takes a step forward. "I'll keep you here till midnight if I see fit. Hell, I'll keep you here for a week if I want to. And that includes you, Schwimmer." You look up at her and feel a prickle of annoyance. She's staring straight back at you. "Does anyone have a problem?"

"No, Ms. July."

You're halfway through your third attempt at the routine. For the first time today, you haven't been asked to restart yet. That is until you're interrupted by a knock on the door and Cassandra switches the music off. "What?" She snaps. The whole class knows that whoever interrupted the rehearsal is about to experience a world of pain.

A freckly teenage boy pushes open the door. He's holding a bouquet of flowers. "These are f-for..." He checks the label. "...Rachel Berry." The young boy looks up.

Oh god no.

Cassandra snatches the flowers from him. She finds a card inside the bouquet. "To my darling Rach. Love always, Finny." She raises an eyebrow and shoves them back at the delivery boy. "Burn them." He nods and shuffles out of the room.

And there it is. Your punishment for not turning up on time.

The whole class are staring at you and your cheeks are on fire. Your tutor sidles over to you. "Now if you don't mind, Schwimmer, we would all appreciate it if you could keep your personal life away from NYADA. Tell _'Finny'_ to keep his teenage hormonally-charged declarations of love to himself."

You stare at the ground, humiliated. _He's my soulmate he's my soulmate he's my soulmate he's my soulmate _you remind yourself.

"Get back to your starting positions and _five, six, seven, eight!"_

* * *

You're sat around the television with Kurt and Finn. Finn has his arm around your waist and your head is resting on his shoulder. You're watching West Side Story. Your limbs literally _ache _after an intense five hour dance rehearsal, and it's a relief to just relax with your friends and one of your favourite musicals.

Finn nudges your side and you look up at him. "Did you get my flowers?" He asks.

You smile, "Yes. They were beautiful." You're not sure why you don't tell him the whole truth.

Kurt looks at you both, "Do you guys remember the McKinley production of West Side Story?" He asks, and then you're all reminiscing about the old days when you were in high school and Glee Club was the highlight of your week.

There's a knock on the door and Kurt stands up with a flourish. "That's probably the pizza!" He walks out of the room and Finn twists your face towards his, pressing a kiss to your lips. The kiss feels nice; soft and gentle. But it doesn't start a fire inside of you. Not like just one touch from Santana does.

Kurt re-enters the room. "Uh, Rachel? It's for you..." He looks at you with a strange expression and you unravel yourself from Finn, standing up.

Who could possibly need to see you at this hour?

Kurt sits back down on the armchair and watches you walk out of the room curiously. You open the front door. Brody Weston is stood out in the cold, smiling expectantly up at you. "Brody?" You hiss, not wanting Finn to overhear.

"Hey." He leans forward to kiss you on the cheek, and you turn your head slightly. You really don't need this now. You step out into the cold and slam the door behind you.

"What's going on?"

Brody ignores your question. "Aren't you gonna let me in?"

You sigh, "No."

"What, have you got a guy in there?" He asks, frowning.

"My boyfriend." You reply coolly.

"Oh... You mean _'Finny'?_ The one with the flowers?"

"H-How did you know about that?"

"Oh please, Rachel. Everyone in NYADA already knows about his little stunt. News travels fast."

You're not sure why, but you find yourself defending him. "It was not a _little stunt_. It was a romantic gesture! He was simply demonstrating his love for me."

Brody rolls his eyes. "I didn't come here to talk about your boyfriend." He takes a deep breath, "I came here to talk about you. And me... Together." He lifts a hand to your cheek and caresses it gently.

"I'm sorry Brody. I can't." You whisper.

Finn's voice comes from inside, "Rach? Who's there?" He must be concerned that you don't reply because thirty seconds later the door is opening and he's stood in the door frame, eyes narrowed. "Who is this?" He asks slowly.

You stare up at Finn. "It's not what it looks like!" You're suddenly panicking.

Brody offers a hand, "Finny, I presume? Nice flowers."

"Finn." Your boyfriend corrects, staring down at the shorter boy. He turns to look at you. "What exactly is this?"

Brody smiled. "Oh, I kissed Rachel, and now I'm back for more." He replied, obviously hoping to get some kind of rise from Finn.

"He kissed me - I didn't kiss him!" Your words come out in a rush, you want to let Finn know it's okay before he does something stupid.

Finn ignores you. He stares at Brody for a moment, before lifting his fist and smashing it into the older boys' face. You scream and take a step back. Brody's eyes narrow and he punches Finn in the gut. _"_S-stop it!_ Please!" _Both boys ignore you and Finn falls to the floor, clenching his stomach.

Tears fill your eyes and you spin around, running into the night.

* * *

You're wandering through the suburbs of New York. You have no idea where you are but you'll figure out a way home when you actually care. All you can think about is Finn slamming his fist into Brody's face. _"But he's my soulmate."_ You whisper into the night, just as a reminder.

The light emitted from the street lamps creates an unnatural orange glow that lingers in the air. You feel as though you're being watched, so turn left into a seemingly empty park. It's darker than dark and the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. You perch gingerly down on a bench and cross your arms, moving your head from side to side and trying to make out shapes in the darkness. You're sure you're not alone. Fear settles in the pit of your stomach and you swallow nervously, fiddling with the hem of your dress as you try to work out what to do next.

Every single noise is louder to you. The hum of nearby traffic. The scuffling of an animal in the bushes behind you. And then, the clip-clop of high heeled shoes.

Silent tears fall down your cheeks and you sniff.

Your heart is pounding and you stare at the floor, hoping to attract as little attention as possible. The sound gets closer and closer and then stops. You can sense someone in your general vicinity and let out a choked sob.

A familiar sultry voice murmurs, "Trouble in paradise?"


	5. In Your Eyes

**AN: Before you read this chapter, I just want to let you know how grateful I am for your continued support. Every single review means the world to me, as does every favourite and every follow. Thank you for taking the time to read my story so far. For this chapter I tried something a little different. It was actually my favourite one to write so far. Let me know what you think. Flashbacks are in italics and begin directly where the last chapter left off. The duet is a jazzy, low-key version of Kylie Minogue's "In Your Eyes". This is the closest I could find - watch?v=ulSD2BwSEx8 **

* * *

In Your Eyes

You open your eyes and blink blearily around, taking in your surroundings. You're lying on a double mattress on an oak floor. Indian style cushions are scattered around and under your head and a blanket with an embroidered dragon design is pulled up to your chin. You sit up and look curiously around the room, blanket slipping down your body. Thick, oriental curtains cover the windows, blocking any light from entering the space. The room is lit by a pink lamp, casting a warm glow over everything. The walls are covered with so many drawings and photographs that you can't even make out what color the paint behind is. You have no idea what the time it is. All you are aware of is the acute pounding at the back of your head. You look down at yourself and realize you're dressed in only black lingerie. Black lingerie that was meant for Finn.

Memories of the night before flicker through your mind.

_Santana doesn't ask you what's wrong. Instead she just stares at you with those intense dark eyes, and offers you a hand. You take it, and let yourself be pulled back up to your feet._

_You walk side-by-side, linked hands swinging between you. She leads you through the darkness, and then out again, and into the humming glow of the street lamps. Tears cease to fall from your eyes. You just let yourself be led into the unknown._

You stand up and pad over the wooden floorboards, wanting to examine the drawings on the wall in more detail. The majority appear to be intricate designs of risqué clothing. You run a finger over one picture. It's a watercolor of a long black dress. The one Santana wore the first time you saw her.

_Santana leads you through a maze of streets and you lose track of time. You could be walking for years. Or just minutes. All you care about is the fingers that are threaded through yours. After a while you stop. You're stood outside an old fashioned jazz bar._

_Santana turns to grin at you and then pulls you inside. The air is filled with music and laughter and light. Despite yourself, you feel your lips curling up into a smile. The taller girl leads you to the bar and takes a seat, patting the one beside her. You perch on it, staring around in awe._

You're too focused on thoughts of the previous night to hear it, but the door opens, and a tall Latina walks silently into the room, carrying two cups of green tea and a tray laden with breakfast. She places the things down onto the floor beside the mattress you woke up on and then moves over to you. Hands curl around your naked stomach and you spin around, only to be met with Santana's dark gaze. "Morning." She murmurs.

Santana is wearing a kimono style dressing gown that is similar to the one she wore two months ago in her dressing room. This one is a rich shade of green that juxtaposes with her caramel skin perfectly. Her hair is pinned up into a bun on the top of her head and even though it's morning, those full lips are painted her signature dark red. "Good morning." You reply.

Santana stares over your shoulder to study the drawing that you're studying. Then she leans forward and peels the paper away, revealing a deep red section of wall. "Keep it."

"I couldn't possibly-" You begin, but Santana is handing the drawing to you and the look in her eyes tells you to accept. So you do. "Thank you." You smile. She simply grins in response and grabs onto your hand, pulling you over to the breakfast she's prepared.

_A jazz band is playing on a stage on the far side of the room. Tables make a semi circle around the room, and a crowd of people dance in the center. Santana orders you both drinks, and catches you staring at the scene. "Do you want to dance with me?" She asks, fluttering those thick dark lashes. You nod and she grins. "Well then you'd better drink up!" The darker girl hands you your drink and you gulp it down quickly._

You sit down on the mattress together and pick up a steaming cup of green tea. The warmth seeps into your skin and calms you. You can feel Santana staring at you intently and blush, taking a sip.

"Aren't you going to try my world renowned pain au chocolat?" Santana asks, head tilted onto one side. She pulls the cup out of your hands and places it gently on the floor. "Open wide." She winks and you do as she says, letting out a low moan when warm chocolate oozes into your mouth. Long tanned fingers linger at your lips for a second longer than they need be, and you flick your tongue over them, tasting her skin. "S'good, right?" Santana grins, leaning away and picking up her own pastry, nibbling away at the edges of the pastry like a little mouse. You have a feeling she's not talking about the food.

_When you finish your drinks, Santana grabs ahold of your hand and leads you to the floor. And then she's spinning you under her arm and you're laughing and pulling her close, swaying to the music. As she's taller than you, your head is pressed against her chest and she cradles you in her arms. Her heart beat lulls you into peacefulness._

_Finn who?_

_The song fades out and is replaced by a slow, low key number. Santana hums along gently and you can feel the vibrations in her chest. She lowers her hands down to your waist and sighs contently, gently massaging your skin with her thumbs._

_Suddenly you feel full warm lips pressing against your forehead and a million butterflies flutter in your stomach. You must be going crazy because you stand on your tiptoes and graze her upper lip with your lower one. Santana whimpers and her grip on your waist tightens. She does nothing to quicken the pace of the kiss, allowing you to move at your own pace._

_You run your fingers through her dark glossy hair and flick your tongue so that it grazes her lower lip. You can feel her shallow breath on your lips and her eyes are closed, an expression of pure bliss upon her face. You slowly suck on her bottom lip. All you can feel is the wet warmth of her mouth on yours. Everything else melts away._

"Delicious." You mumble through a mouth full of pastry and chocolate. She giggles and picks up her drink, taking tentative sips.

Santana's eyeing you over the top of her cup, a sparkle in her eye. "What are you thinking about?"

You smile blissfully and stare back at her. "Last night."

"Me too."

You sit in a comfortable silence as you dwell further on the events of the night before.

_The kiss is soft and passionate and everything a first kiss between lovers should be. Your lips fit together like puzzle pieces, and the music that lingers in the air is beautifully perfect for such a moment. Her touch lights a fire within you. You pull back for air and rest your forehead against hers, just watching. When Santana reopens her eyes, a light is blazing in those dark orbs._

_You just sway for a while, locked in one another's embrace. Occasionally your lips meet, and each time is even better than the last._

_The band finish their set, and the whole audience are cheering and clapping. Karaoke time is announced and Santana grins at you, dark eyes daring._

_The taller girl drags you across the floor and then over to the stage. "We'd like to duet, please." She informs a man on the stage, who nods and helps you up._

_"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you..."_

_He moves the mic under Santana's chin. "Rachel and Santana!" She finishes, receiving an abundance of cheers and clapping from the audience._

_Santana stares at you for a moment and then smiles. "I know just the song." She grins and walks to the back of the stage, whispering something into the pianist's ears. He nods and then she appears back at your side._

_You are both handed microphones and then the piano begins to play. At first you don't recognize the song, this version being so different from the original. But when she sings the first few lines in that familiar husky way, you chuckle under your breath. Only Santana could pull off a jazz version of Kylie Minogue._

_"What on earth am I meant to do? __In this crowded place there is only you. __Was gonna to leave now I have to stay. __You have taken my breath away..."_

_She doesn't take her eyes off of you for the entirety of the verse._

_You lift your microphone to your mouth._

_"Oh, is the world still spinning around? I don't feel like coming down..."_

_As you sing, her eyes widen in shock. She obviously did not expect such incredible talent. You smile, feeling more than just a little smug. Santana lifts her mic back to her mouth and you sing the chorus in a perfect harmony._

_"It's in your eyes... I can tell what you're thinking. My heart is sinking too. It's no surprise. I've been watching you lately, I __want to make it with you."_

_Her low gravely tones complement your delicately powerful voice perfectly._

_And then she pauses and you sing the next verse of the song alone._

_Santana closes her eyes appreciatively as you sing, obviously still surprised by the sheer power of your voice._

_"Destiny has a funny way, when it comes and takes all your cares away. I can't think of a single thing, other than what a beautiful state I'm in..."_

_"Is the world still spinning around?" Santana addresses the crowd, "I don't feel like coming down..."_

_The instruments slow as the song nears its end. You sing the closing lines together, voices combining to create something powerful._

_"It's in your eyes. I can tell what your thinking. My heart is sinking too. It's no surprise. I've been watching you lately, __I want to make it with you..."_

_The song reaches a close and the crowd are going crazy. You stare at her wonderingly. "Is that how you really feel?" She nods and you swallow, heart racing. "But I have a boyfriend..." You know this is all stupid and crazy so you remind yourself of your mantra; _he is my soulmate._ But after tonight, those words feel empty and meaningless._

_"If you really loved him you wouldn't be here w__ith me." She answers, as if it's really that simple._

_So you let the mysterious brunette pull you out onto the street._

"We kicked some serious ass with that number..." The Latina grins and playfully nudges you.

You laugh in agreement.

"I have to ask, where did you learn to sing like that?" She asks

You chuckle. "I've been performing since I was three months old."

She takes a sip of green tea, not appearing at all surprised. "But you're like_ crazy_ talented! You should be on Broadway or something."

"I know." Is your reply. "And I will soon."

She quirks an eyebrow.

_Santana takes you back to her apartment. She locks the door and then pushes you against the wall, lips moving passionately against yours. The Latina pulls her dress over her head and throws it carelessly on the floor. Then she's yanking your dress off too and you're left in black lace lingerie._

_Santana eyes you appreciatively. "Nice undies."_

_Your cheeks are flushed and your heart is thudding uncontrollably. But you know can't go any further. Not while Finn is still your boyfriend. "I-I can't." You whisper against her lips._

_"Why not?"_

_"As tempting as this is, I'm not the kind of girl to sleep with someone else whilst in a relationship. I... I hope you understand..." You hang your head, feeling ashamed._

_She takes a step back and nods. "Okay." Her tone is understanding._

_"C-can you just hold me?" You ask._

_She grins and nods, leading you over to the mattress on the floor._

_You lay down, side-by-side. She pulls a blanket up over your bodies and nuzzles her face into your neck. "I'll wait for you, Rachel." She whispers._

_You fall asleep curled up in her arms._

"So, sleepyhead. What do you want to do today?" She grins.

"I think I should just head home." You reply. You're thinking of how worried Finn and Kurt must be.

But you know one thing. It's time to tell Finn the truth.


	6. I'll be there at 11 am

**Authors Note: This chapter has taken me longer to write than the others, and I apologise for that. Truthfully, I've been putting it off – I find writing Finn scenes boring because I thoroughly dislike his character on the show. So I made the Finn part as short as possible and just got on with it! Also, it's the shortest chapter that I've written for TOL so far, but I've simply got nothing else to add to it. Sorry for the slightly longer wait, I hope you enjoy reading.**

* * *

I'll be there at 11 a.m.

The door to your apartment slams closed behind you. You gingerly take a step into the room. "Kurt?" You pause. "Finn?"

_"Rach!"_ Finn runs out of your bedroom and pulls you into a tight embrace. "I was so worried…" You pat him awkwardly on the back before pulling away to examine him. His left eye is decorated with a dark purple bruise and a bandage is wrapped around his right arm. You find yourself wondering how long the fight went on for after you left. Finn is apologising again and again. You can't bring yourself to tell him that he's forgiven. Because he's not.

Kurt leans against the doorframe and eyes you knowingly. "After you left, one of our neighbours called the police." He says quietly. "Brody spent the night at the station."

You gasp. "W-what?"

Kurt just looks at you for a moment. It is a look that says 'I'll leave you two to talk'. You nod and he turns around and walks into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"Where were you last night, Rachel?"

"Finn, we need to talk." You ignore his question.

"Is this about Brody? Y-you said you don't like him… _do you?"_

You shake your head. This is going to be hard. Probably one of the hardest things you've ever had to do. You and Finn have been together for so long. Finn is all you really know. But you've already made up your mind. "Finn…" You take a deep breath. "I'll always love you, Finn."

He stares at you suspiciously. "I know." He says slowly. Finn sits down on the couch and pats the seat next to him. You ignore the gesture, taking the chair opposite him instead.

You fiddle with the hem of your dress. "Look, Finn." You stare at your hands. "Last night I was… I was with someone…"

You steal a glance at your boyfriend. "Who?" His voice is hollow, empty.

You look away. "S-Santana…"

"Santana…" It takes him a moment. "Santana Lopez? The hooker?"

You nod. "She's not a hooker Finn, she's a performer."

He ignores you. "You're… g-gay?"

You speak calmly, soothingly. As if you're approaching a wounded animal. "I don't know. Look Finn, I stopped it before it went too far. We kissed. That's all."

"I love you… I thought that you loved me too."

There is nothing you can say to that.

The silence is unbearable. You look up. Finn's cheeks are streaked with tears, and his expression is one of disbelief, denial, despair. Last night's fury is nothing compared to this raw sadness. You open your mouth to comfort him. But no words come out. His breath comes out in tiny gasps and he covers his mouth with his hand, staring at you. "Is this a joke? Please tell me this is a joke!"

You shake your head.

A bout of tears suddenly rocks Finn's body, and he's clenching himself tightly around the middle, gasping for breath.

You just sit there, staring at him, willing yourself to do something to comfort him. You're horrified to admit that a part of you actually feels _relieved_.

* * *

"He just sat on our coach crying for half an hour. When he managed to calm down, he ran around the apartment, packing his bags. And then he left." You explain, taking a sip of peppermint tea.

Santana raises an eyebrow. "You seem surprisingly unaffected by the whole thing."

You shrug. "Well… I guess I've been expecting it for a while now." You admit. "Something's just been off lately."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

She smiles coyly.

You are sat with Santana in a small quirky café, sipping herbal tea and talking. It's been a whole day since Finn left. A few hours ago you awoke to a text from an unknown number. It simply gave instructions to the café followed by 'I'll be there at 11 a.m.'.

When you got to the café, you were pleasantly surprised to find Santana Lopez seated by the window, grinning up at you. She'd explained how she'd saved your phone number while you were asleep in her apartment. You should probably be annoyed that she went through your phone. But you don't really mind. Strangely, you're just happy to spend time with her.

You take a deep breath before taking the plunge. "So…" You've never really done this before. You stare Santana in the eye. "What does this mean for us? I was hoping maybe we could-"

"I have a feeling I'm no good for you, Rachel." Santana cuts in.

Your heart sinks in your chest. "Oh…"

"I don't do relationships." The darker girl adds.

"I-Is there anything I could change your mind?" You find yourself asking.

Santana considers you for a moment. "I would have to be wooed." She finally says, taking a sip of camomile tea and eyeing you over her cup.

"Wooed…" You repeat thoughtfully under your breath. Truthfully, you have no idea how to woo someone. No idea at all.

But it's nothing Rachel Berry can't figure out.

"Santana Lopez, prepare to be wooed." You murmur.

Santana grins. She leans across the table and kisses you. Right there in the middle of the café.

You let out a low moan. Her lips are so soft and full. There's no stubble to graze your chin, no tongue forced down your throat, no awkward teeth crashing.

Everything is just soft and warm and _perfect._ Your heart hammers in your chest when she nibbles lightly on your bottom lip.

And then she sucks _hard_ on your lip and the thundering in your heart moves south. You feel dizzy and hot and _alive. _In that moment, you'd do anything Santana asks of you. Literally, anything.

So this is what a kiss is supposed to feel like.

And then she pulls away and smirks. "We're attracting some attention." You look around and realize that almost every single eye in the room is on you. Your cheeks flush red and you resume to sipping on your peppermint tea as if nothing happened.


	7. Count Me In

Count Me In

You stand outside of Santana's apartment, smoothing down the front your satin blue dress. _Come on, Rachel. Damn it, knock on the door. You can do this._ You take a deep breath, gathering your courage, and sharply rap on the door. _There, that wasn't so bad._

"Just a minute!" Santana calls from inside.

You have a moment to arrange your features into a dazzling Rachel Berry smile before she swings open the door. "Well, hello there…" She smirks, leaning against the doorframe and eyeing you up and down.

"Hi…" You reply, cheeks coloring slightly as her eyes linger appreciatively on your legs.

Her gaze snaps back up to your face. "Where are you taking me tonight?" She asks, smiling coyly.

"We're going out for a meal at a favorite Italian restaurant of mine." You inform her, offering out your hand. She takes it happily, and you walk side-by-side in a comfortable silence.

Santana is wearing a short green dress that clings to her figure. Her hair is loose and wavy and her black high-heeled boots highlight her long tanned legs. You find yourself glancing sideways repeatedly, unable to keep your eyes away. She catches your glance and you blush, biting softly into your lower lip.

You thought for a few days about how to properly woo Santana. At last, you settled on taking her out for dinner. There was no way you could go wrong with Italian. So, you left a note in her dressing room, along with a single red rose.

"I take it you got my note?" You question, stealing a glance at the other girl.

She nods and grins. "Very romantic. Perhaps a little cliché though."

You frown. "You are insatiable."

"That's not usually a source for complaints." Santana says innocently.

You roll your eyes, trying to disguise the fact that her innuendo set your pulse racing wildly.

You arrive at the restaurant, holding open the door for her. Santana walks in and looks around appreciatively. "I can see why you like it here." She murmurs. It's a small place, but the food is amazing. Candles, casting a gentle glow, light the whole room. The restaurant is relatively empty, bar a few couples. Your only complaint was the lack of music. But you sorted that problem out - after your first visit with Kurt, you made a CD full of all of your favorite jazz classics and brought it back. Thanks to you, they now play the songs on a constant loop.

You walk Santana over to a table in the far corner, away from the other customers. You pull her chair out and she sits down gracefully. You sit opposite her and pick up a menu. You scan the booklet. There's no point really; you already know what you're going to order. But you know that without a distraction, you wouldn't be able to keep your eyes off of Santana.

After a few minutes, you speak up. "Ready to order?"

Santana nods. You signal to a waiter, who bustles over merrily. "Ciao, Miss Berry." He smiles and dips his head. "What can I get you girls?"

"Hi Antonio. I'll have spaghetti with basil pesto and a green salad." You smile up at him.

"Of course!" Antonio writes down your order and turns to Santana. "And what can I get for you?"

"Margherita pizza." Santana grins.

"Anything to drink?" The waiter asks.

"We'll have some of the house champagne."

"Of course, Miss Berry." Antonio smiles and walks away.

Santana giggles. "Miss Berry, huh?" She asks.

You blush.

* * *

You twirl your pasta around your fork, bringing it up to your mouth. Your eyes catch Santana's and she smiles softly, taking a sip of champagne. Something underneath the table brushes against your leg and you stiffen suddenly, staring at Santana wordlessly. Her expression remains innocent while her foot rubs up and down your leg. You drop your fork with a loud clatter. Your gaze snaps down to your plate. You don't dare move an inch. She kicks off her shoe and wordlessly glides her foot up and down your bare skin, leaving behind a trail of fire.

You cough awkwardly and take a sip of champagne, trying to distract yourself from the throbbing between your legs. Santana pushes your shoe off with her foot and it falls to the ground with a low thud. You steal a glance up at her. Santana's eyes are fixed on you, a dark fire blazing in those orbs. Her foot caresses your ankle. She hums under her breath, taking your hand in her own.

Santana purposefully traces tiny circles onto your wrist, matching the tempo of her foot on your ankle.

Heat pools in your lower stomach and once again, your underwear is sticking to your skin uncomfortably. You have no idea how she does this to you so easily.

She takes another sip of champagne, never once taking her eyes off you.

And then suddenly she pulls away, slipping her shoe back on and taking a bite of pizza as if nothing happens. Her hand, however, stays in yours.

You clear your throat and pick up your fork, once again, twirling it around your spaghetti. You find your voice. "…So" The word comes out a lot huskier than you thought it would. You blush and take a drink of champagne.

"So?" Santana asks, tilting her head onto one side.

"What do you think?"

Santana blinks, confused.

"D-did I do it?" You stutter, still feeling wobbly.

"Do what?"

You look at her. "Are you wooed?"

Santana considers you, draining the rest of her champagne.

She doesn't reply until you finish your meals and step back out into the street. When you exit, rain is pouring down, instantly drenching the pair of you.

She pulls you in for a kiss, arms wrapping around your waist. You run your hands through her dripping wet hair and nibble lightly on her lower lip. Drops of water slide down your skin, and you hold her even tighter, protecting her from the cold.

Santana pulls away and rests her head against yours. "I dunno, Berry. I'd say you're nearly there." She giggles and unravels herself, walking into the night.

You smile after her disappearing form for a while, and then turn around and walk home.

* * *

Kurt sneaks the occasional furtive glance at you, concern in his eyes. "Look, Rachel. I know how difficult break ups can be. And I'm here if you want someone to talk to. I don't want you to-"

"Shh!" You interrupt, slapping his hand away from the bowl of popcorn on your lap. Your gaze is fixed on the television. You're watching Grease. Kurt sighs. You appreciate his concern, you really do. It's completely understandable – almost every other time you and Finn have broken up, you've been a wreck.

But this time is different. It brought with it a real sense of finality. And you are okay with that.

You absentmindedly pick up a piece of popcorn, eyes glued to the screen. Rizzo is belting out 'There Are Worse Things I Could Do'. You unconsciously hum along. Kurt tries again. "Back at McKinley, everyone thought you and Finn were _forever." _You ignore him, throwing the popcorn into your mouth. "You were engaged, Rachel. You almost got married. These things don't just go away! At some point, you really loved hi-"

"Kurt! I appreciate your concern, I really do. He'll always have a place in my heart. But I'm fine now. I'm over him. Okay?" You suddenly snap.

You didn't mean for your words to come out quite as harsh as they did, and Kurt backs away, shrinking into his seat. You sigh. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to talk about it anymore."

Kurt tentatively reaches for some popcorn. This time, you let him. "Okay." Kurt replies, looking back at the screen. You can tell he doesn't quite believe you yet, but he lets it slide for now.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, you watch _a lot_ of old romantic movies. Kurt eyes you sympathetically over his chai tea. He obviously still thinks this is about Finn. You don't bother to tell him this truth. The truth is, you're searching for tips. Tips on how to woo Santana. So far, you're coming up blank.

Half way through 'Some Like It Hot' your phone buzzes and you grin, seeing Santana's name flash up on the screen. You open the message.

_'Fancy meeting later? I've been preparing a new one-on-one routine that I think you'll love.'_

You blush ferociously, heart suddenly hammering. You type out a quick reply.

_'What time?'_

_'7pm. The Orchid Lounge.'_

And then it hits you. The ultimate way to court Santana.

'_How about we meet an hour earlier? I have a little routine of my own.'_

_' ... Count me in.'_

* * *

You're stood in your bedroom, staring into the mirror. What seemed like a good idea a few hours ago has completely deteriorated. You're wearing a silky purple push-up bra and the tiniest thong imaginable. Your eyelids are dark and smoky and your lips are a very un-Rachel Berry shade of red. You slide your feet into a pair of black stilettos and grip onto your dressing table, swaying dangerously. You take a shaky step and immediately stumble. How the hell does Santana do it?

"Hey, Rachel? What have you done with our Rocky Horror DVD? The case is empty and… holy mother of…" You spin around. Kurt is stood in your doorway, eyes wide. "Who are you and what have you done with Rachel Berry?" He chokes out.

"Uh…" You can't think of an excuse so you opt on the truth. "I- I'm meeting Santana…"

His eyes almost pop out of his head. "Santana Lopez? _The_ Santana Lopez?"

You nod, wincing.

"S-since when?"

"Well… we're kind of… friends." You say lamely.

"Oh, I see. _Friends._ I get it. Well I'm not one to judge, but since _when _do you dress like that for your friends?" He asks, folding his arms.

"I… I like her." You tell him. "I've made a few alterations to the routine Cassie taught us a few months ago so that it ends with a stripping scene and she's-"

"Hold up. _Way_ too much info!" Kurt raises his hands. "Back up a bit. You. Are. Stripping. For. Santana. Lopez." He speaks slowly, as if he can't quite believe it. "So this is why you're so over Finn..." He adds quietly.

You nod, pulling a tight zip-up black dress out of your wardrobe. It's the most revealing dress you own. You pull it on and look at Kurt over your shoulder. "Zip me?" You ask.

He walks over to you and zips up your dress. You grin and look in the mirror, satisfied. Your hair is glossy and thick. The push up bra makes your cleavage practically pop out of the top of your dress. You turn to the side and examine the soft curve of your lower back as it meets your backside. You don't think you've ever felt more attractive in your life. All your previous nervousness fades away and is replaced by a burning excitement. You can't wait to see Santana's face.


End file.
